When to start: readiness signs over age

Both the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend introducing solid foods around 6 months of age, while continuing breast milk or formula as the primary nutrition source. The emphasis on "around" is deliberate — readiness is a better guide than a birthday.

Look for all three of these signs before starting:

• Head and trunk control. The baby can sit in a high chair with minimal support and hold their head steady. Slouching forward makes swallowing safely difficult.
• Loss of the tongue-thrust reflex. Young babies automatically push food out of their mouths with their tongue. When this reflex fades, the baby can move food to the back of their mouth to swallow.
• Demonstrated interest in food. Reaching for food on your plate, watching intently while others eat, and opening their mouth when a spoon approaches are all green lights.

Starting before 4 months is not recommended — the gut and kidneys are not mature enough. Waiting much beyond 6–7 months may mean missing a sensitive window during which babies are most receptive to new textures and flavours, potentially making introduction harder later.

First foods: purees vs. baby-led weaning

There are two main approaches to starting solids, and both have good evidence behind them. Many families use a combination.

Traditional purees involve blending or mashing foods to a smooth consistency and spoon-feeding. This approach gives you clear control over texture and makes it easier to isolate individual foods when watching for reactions. Good first purees include:

• Iron-fortified single-grain rice or oat cereal mixed with breast milk or formula.
• Pureed vegetables: sweet potato, butternut squash, carrot, peas, green beans.
• Pureed fruits: apple, pear, banana, avocado.
• Pureed meat or poultry (an often overlooked but excellent source of iron and zinc).

Baby-led weaning (BLW) skips purees entirely and offers soft finger foods from the start, letting the baby self-feed. BLW promotes fine motor development, encourages self-regulation of appetite, and exposes the baby to a wider variety of textures early. Safe early BLW foods include soft-cooked broccoli florets, banana slices, ripe avocado strips, and toast soldiers spread with nut butter. The baby gums and explores rather than swallowing large amounts initially.

Whichever approach you choose, start with small amounts — one or two teaspoons once a day — and build gradually over weeks.

How to introduce common allergens

Research has shifted significantly on allergen introduction in the last decade. The previous advice to delay allergenic foods has been reversed: current AAP and most major allergy-body guidelines recommend early, regular introduction of the top allergens, starting around 6 months.

The top 9 common allergens to introduce:

• Peanut (thinned peanut butter mixed into puree, or peanut puffs)
• Tree nuts (almond butter, cashew butter)
• Egg (well-cooked scrambled egg or hard-boiled egg yolk)
• Cow's milk (yoghurt, cheese — not as a main drink under 12 months)
• Wheat (pasta, bread, wheat-based cereals)
• Soy (tofu, edamame)
• Fish (well-cooked salmon, cod — avoid high-mercury varieties)
• Shellfish (well-cooked shrimp or crab)
• Sesame (tahini mixed into food)

Introduce one new allergen at a time. Wait 3–5 days before introducing the next. Offer allergens in the morning so you can watch for reactions during the day. Mild redness around the mouth from contact is common and not necessarily a true allergy. Seek immediate medical help for hives, swelling, vomiting, or any breathing difficulty.

For babies with severe eczema or a known egg allergy, consult your paediatrician or an allergist before introducing peanut.

Progression timeline: from first tastes to family meals

Solid food introduction is gradual and non-linear. A rough progression:

• 6–7 months: 1–2 meals per day, smooth purees or soft mashed textures, 1–2 tablespoons per sitting. Milk (breast or formula) remains the primary nutrition.
• 7–9 months: 2–3 meals per day, lumpier textures, small soft pieces. The baby begins using a pincer grasp to pick up food. Volume increases but milk is still dominant.
• 9–12 months: 3 meals per day plus 1–2 snacks. Wide variety of soft family foods in small pieces. The baby is increasingly interested in self-feeding. Milk intake begins to decline naturally as solid food intake increases.
• 12 months+: Transition to a modified family diet. Whole cow's milk can replace formula if not breastfeeding. The goal is three balanced meals per day.

When to start solid foods

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends introducing solid foods at around 6 months of age, while continuing to breastfeed. Breast milk or infant formula remains the primary nutrition source throughout the first year — solids complement rather than replace milk feeds.

Every baby develops at their own pace. Watch for these signs of readiness rather than going by age alone:

• Sitting with support: Your baby can sit in a high chair or with minimal support and hold their head steady and upright.
• Head control: Strong, independent head control is essential for safe swallowing.
• Interest in food: Your baby watches you eat, reaches for food, and opens their mouth when they see a spoon or food approaching.
• Loss of the tongue-thrust reflex: Young babies automatically push objects out of their mouths with their tongue. When this reflex fades, they can move food to the back of the mouth and swallow.

Starting before 4 months is not recommended by health authorities. If your baby shows signs of readiness before 6 months, consult your pediatrician before beginning.

Best first foods for your baby

Whether you choose traditional spoon-feeding or baby-led weaning, single-ingredient foods are the safest starting point. They allow you to identify any allergic reaction quickly. Good first options include:

• Vegetables: Sweet potato puree, butternut squash, peas, carrot — mild, naturally sweet, and nutritious.
• Fruit: Banana, avocado, pear, and apple (cooked and pureed or soft mashed).
• Grains: Iron-fortified infant rice or oat cereal mixed with breast milk or formula.
• Protein: Once your baby is eating a variety of foods, well-cooked and pureed chicken, lentils, and soft-cooked beans add important iron and protein.

Introduce one new food at a time and wait 3–5 days before adding another. This waiting period makes it much easier to pinpoint the cause if a reaction appears.

Baby-led weaning vs. traditional purees

Traditional spoon-feeding starts with smooth purees and gradually progresses to mashed, minced, and then chopped foods over several months. Baby-led weaning (BLW) skips purees entirely: the baby self-feeds soft finger foods from the start and controls how much they eat at each meal.

Both approaches are nutritionally valid when done safely. Many parents use a combination — offering some spoon-fed purees alongside soft finger foods. The key principles for both methods are the same:

• Always supervise your baby during meals.
• For BLW, all foods must be soft enough to squash between your finger and thumb.
• Sit your baby upright in a high chair, never reclined.
• Learn to distinguish normal gagging (a protective reflex) from choking, which requires immediate action.

Progressing from purees to textures

Once your baby has mastered thin purees, gradually thicken the consistency and introduce more texture. A rough progression:

• 6–7 months: Smooth, thin purees and soft mashes.
• 7–9 months: Thicker mashes with small soft lumps; soft finger foods like banana chunks, well-cooked pasta pieces.
• 9–12 months: Minced or finely chopped family foods; a wider variety of soft finger foods.

Exposing your baby to different textures early helps reduce the risk of texture aversion and fussiness later on.

Foods to avoid in the first year

Some foods are unsuitable or unsafe for babies under 12 months:

• Honey — risk of infant botulism (spores in honey can produce toxin in a baby's immature gut). Avoid in any form until 12 months.
• Added salt — babies' kidneys cannot handle significant salt loads. Do not add salt to home-cooked baby food and check labels on packaged foods.
• Added sugar — avoid foods with significant added sugars; they provide calories without nutrition and establish a preference for sweetness.
• Whole cow's milk as a main drink — the protein and mineral profile is not appropriate as a primary drink; it can cause micro-bleeds in the gut lining and doesn't provide sufficient iron. Small amounts in cooking (e.g., in cereal or sauces) are fine.
• Whole nuts and large chunks of hard food — major choking hazards. Always grind, blend, or use nut butters.
• Certain fish — shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish are high in mercury and should be avoided. Low-mercury options like salmon, cod, and sardines are excellent choices.
• Raw or undercooked eggs, meat, and shellfish — risk of salmonella and other pathogens. Always cook thoroughly.

This article is for general guidance only and does not replace medical advice. Feeding practices may need to be adapted for babies with allergies, prematurity, or other health conditions. Always consult your paediatrician or a registered dietitian if you have concerns about your baby's nutrition or development.

Frequently asked questions

When is the right time to start solids?

Both the WHO and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend introducing solid foods around 6 months of age, while continuing breast milk or formula. The key is looking for readiness signs rather than age alone: the baby can sit with minimal support, has lost the tongue-thrust reflex, and shows interest in food. Starting before 4 months is not recommended; starting much after 6 months may mean the baby misses a critical window for accepting new textures and flavours.

What are the best first foods for babies?

Iron-rich foods are ideal first choices: iron-fortified single-grain cereals, pureed meat or poultry, and pureed legumes. Alongside these, soft-cooked vegetables (sweet potato, carrot, butternut squash) and fruit purees (apple, pear, banana) are well tolerated by most babies. Introduce one new food at a time, waiting 3–5 days before adding another, so you can identify any allergic reaction.

How do I introduce common allergens to my baby?

Current guidance from the AAP recommends introducing common allergens — peanut, egg, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat, soy, and dairy — early and regularly, starting around 6 months. For peanut specifically, high-risk babies (with severe eczema or existing egg allergy) should have an allergy assessment first. Introduce allergens one at a time in small amounts at home, ideally in the morning so you can monitor for reactions during the day. A mild rash around the mouth is common and not necessarily an allergy; hives, vomiting, or breathing difficulty require immediate medical attention.

What foods should I avoid giving my baby under 12 months?

Avoid honey (risk of infant botulism), added salt (underdeveloped kidneys cannot process it), added sugar, whole cow's milk as a main drink (though dairy products like yoghurt and cheese are fine), whole nuts (choking hazard), and raw or undercooked eggs, meat, and shellfish. Certain fish high in mercury — shark, swordfish, king mackerel — should also be avoided. Always cut soft foods into pieces no larger than a pea to reduce choking risk.

Some foods are not safe for babies under 12 months:

• Honey: Risk of infant botulism, even in cooked form.
• Cow's milk as a main drink: Small amounts in cooking are fine, but breast milk or formula should remain the primary drink until 12 months.
• Added salt and sugar: Babies' kidneys cannot handle extra salt, and early exposure to sugar can shape food preferences unhealthily.
• Whole nuts and large seeds: A choking hazard; nut butters thinly spread or mixed into purees are safe.
• Raw or undercooked eggs and meat.
• High-mercury fish: Swordfish, shark, king mackerel, and tilefish.
• Fruit juice: Not recommended before 12 months — it offers little nutrition and can displace milk feeds.

Tracking feeding milestones with Bebblo

Starting solids means a whole new category of data to track: which foods you've introduced, when, and any reactions. Bebblo lets you log every meal, note new ingredients, and build a timeline of your baby's feeding journey — all stored locally on your phone with no mandatory account.

This article is for general guidance and does not replace advice from your doctor or pediatrician. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting solids, especially if your baby has known allergies or health conditions.

Frequently asked questions

When should I start introducing solid foods?

The WHO recommends around 6 months, when most babies show all four readiness signs: sitting with support, head control, interest in food, and loss of the tongue-thrust reflex. Starting before 4 months is not advised. Check with your pediatrician if you are unsure.

What are the best first foods for my baby?

Single-ingredient purees are safest — sweet potato, peas, banana, butternut squash, and avocado are popular first choices. Iron-fortified infant cereals are also a good option. Introduce one food at a time and wait 3–5 days before adding another.

What is baby-led weaning (BLW)?

Baby-led weaning is an approach where babies self-feed soft finger foods from the start rather than being spoon-fed purees. It can support fine motor skills and help babies develop a varied palate. All foods must be soft enough to squash easily, and constant supervision is essential.

What foods should I avoid giving to babies under 1 year?

Avoid honey, cow's milk as a main drink, added salt and sugar, whole nuts, raw or undercooked eggs and meat, high-mercury fish, and fruit juice. These are either choking hazards, risks for serious illness, or simply not appropriate for a baby's developing digestive system and kidneys.

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